The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1887-03-09
DEATH OF HENRY WARD BEECH

EST OF American pulpit orators' NO
man of his time excelled Henry Wsri
Beecher in the pulpit, on the platform
or in the. editorial chair. He was al
ways himsslf, original and sui generis.
He was master in the use OF words,
scholar in sympathy with mankind,
always ready to spsak, never failing to
interest his audiences and furnish
them food for thought. Bold, vigor-
Gus, brave, cheerful and full of hope,
he was an inspiration to thousands,
and during the days when abolition.
ism was growing into great and to
become an overwhelming force to
sweep with impetuous and finally Ie.
sistless tide across the continent, his
was the tongue to inspire and the pen
10 trace the march that ended at last
in final triumph. In his place in the
Plymouth pulpit, whence he has
spoken INCREASINGLY to the world since
1847, be has been recognized as one OF
the powers in moulding the thought of
the country, upholding the laws and
urging the unity that has made the
United States the greatest, the richest
and the freest nation on the earth.
Believing that Christianity "is rule
of life in every phase" he discussed
everything in presence OF his copgre-
CATION and taught its members great
lessons of liberation, of sympathy and
broader purpose in life than any de-
nomination can possibly accede to snd
remain uue to its narrow and conf o.
ing dogma. To him Christ was an
ever living personality, whose pro-
foundest message to the world was love
and charity. The weaknesses of hu-
manity were not to be condoned but
condemned, yet there must always be
q readiness to commiserate and COM
passionate by those who would initiate
the Divine Matter. He believed and
preached that the Gospel was the only
standard Of right living and that
faith was largely matter Of education
and environn ent. He was always
ready, therefore, to enter into the spir-
it and the life Of people, of church
or Of congregation difie ring ever 80
widely from his own. Born and edu.
Gated under conditions of in
tense apprehension of the assumed
evils, devices and all grssping power
OF Rome he came early in his life to
realize that this, the most ancient
branch of the church, is illuminated
by the spirit OF holiness as we'll as en-
ergizsd by an irresistible worldly Or
gsnization. Whatever its evils in the
past or present, growing out Of the
fallibility OF its governors, il contained
the divine essence that is the inform.
ing purpose of the Christian faith.
he lost sight Of the intricate and
worldly wise machinery OF its church
government and saw in the long line
of sanity men and women who have
in many centuries attested their fdel-
ity to it's faith reason overwhelm-
ing in itself and justifying the
marvellous hold it has and has had
upon millions and millions of men.
He saw there was world beyond his,
he acknowledged that there were
many of them-that his Father had
many mansions, each of singular and
eternal beauties resting upon the same
foundation Of hope in Christ. As with
theChurch Of Rome, to which his was
the extreme of protest, 80 with slav-
cry and the South. When the pas
sions had subsided which in both Sec
tions began to grow in intensity sfttr
GaIrison's declaration of war in 1881.
32, he was quick to see that there had
been another side to the slavery ques-
tiop, and that the willing sacrifices of
life and of fortune between 1851 and
1885 were not the result of passion,
but Of the determination that pos
sessed brave, strong people, clear in
their purpose and unit in battling
for it's accomplishment. He saw that,
as Burke had said, a whole commu-
nifty could not be indicted; SO, how.
ever wrong it may be, viewed from an
opposing standpoint, as law unto it.
self it must be justified by itself. The
consent of the governed was under
meath the Confederate structure, and
it was infused by the American spirit.
After the war he preached peace. He
was like all the great abolition lead
ers-Greeley, Garrison and Sumner
an advocate of restoration, condemn
ing the machinery and deploriug the
methods of the Republican party in
its reconstruction OF the South. He
was equal to an army for whatever
cause he espoused, and during the
war was sent to England to counteract
the fast accreting public opinion fav-
orable to the Oonfederacy. he did
his best and was measureably success
full in neutralizing If not counteract-
ing the influences that were at work
and which had almost secured for the
South the coveted boon of recogni-
ton. During his last visit to England
in 1885 he was not 80 successful with
the people. The hereeies Of doctrine
which several times had separated
him from the Congregationalists OF
this country, aud which operated to
prevent the ministers of that faith in
Chicsgo on Monday last from adopt
ing revolutions Of coincidence with his
wife in his then serious condition
these stated with almost brutal British